on the move!

[mumofethan]

what child proofing tips can people suggest when you have a child on the move... my little man is crawling and climbing on everything at 8mths old... i cant keep up with him...

also how do you go places where they cant get down and crawl around? Any ideas? i cant even go to the bank cause he doesnt want to stay in the pram!

:D

Michelle

[Chickadee]

Get down on your hands and knees and have a crawl around yourself. That's the advice I kept hearing.

Princess Margaret Hospital here in Perth has set up a "safe house", where parents can go and actually see baby risks and baby proofing and get help. I don't know if there's something similar in other capital cities.

Big things are to make sure furniture is stable and remove anything that is unstable that he could try to pull up on and end up pulling down on himself. Breakables & anything unstable below your knee height gets put away somewhere else. Cords and outlets get secured. If you have cords hanging from blinds make sure they're too high for bub to reach, and even better make sure they're not one continuous loop but two separate strands instead. You might want to remove the chains at the bottom of vertical blinds if they're in reach.

Be vigilant about things being left on the floor or low tables - my husband was forever leaving pens and screwdrivers around, grrrr. Basically we removed anything breakable, sharp/pointed or small enough to fit in bubs mouth from coffee tables and floors.

As for climbing up on things, the only options are to watch like a hawk, somehow remove the things he can climb on (not really practical when it's the couch!) or restrict access to them. We tried a playpen, it was ok for about a month and then wasn't worth the screams over being locked up.

[draught]

I agree with all of Martha's tips on safety. Another good one is that an object is too small for baby to have if it can fit into a 35mm film canister (remember those - they were what we used before digital came along!!) And you need to constantly update your safety as they grow - all of a sudden the kitchen bench will not be a safe height to move things to as their little fingers reach up and over the top - or they learn to move a chair to climb up to get things!

As for going out etc...... I have a baby pouch which carries Chloe (who started crawling at 6 months) on my back - she is sitting up against my back and can see everywhere, move her arms freely, etc. She is incredibly active and on the go, but up on my back is very calm - my theory is that it is because she is in contact with me. And the pouch has a hip band so the weight is easy to carry without pulling on your shoulders etc. Mine is called an ergo baby carrier and I love it, (which is why I have posted about it several times - I promise I don't sell them or get commission!!) The website is www.ergobabycarrier.com and the Australian distributor is www.carryingaway.com.au.

[mumofethan]

thanks for you tips...

unfortuately i cant use a pouch/sling as i have an incredibly bad back and it wont take nicely to me carrying 9kgs on it for more than 20min... i guess i either have to load up the pram with more toys or let him crawl around the bank floor...

we have had a slow process with child-proofing... mainly because my partner dumps stuff where Ethan can get to it... I am constantly moving money, pens, work tools, etc...

i have the main problem which is i cant remove most of the things he climbs up, mainly the couch, the coffee table, the tv cabinets (to get to the TV and DVD player), the book cases, his high chair, the kitchen chairs, the walls and door, toys... as you can see the list goes on... my son doesnt care what he climbs... last nite he was climbing the kitchen cupboard doors so he could try and eat the handles...

*sigh*

i guess i am doomed to have a bruised baby.

:D

Michelle

[willsmum]

Our friends all cracked up laughing when we did this, but it worked for us. William was into EVERYTHING (and still is) very early - ie before he could understand the word "no". So we went to the hardware shop and bought a few metres of that plastic netting/fencing that you can use for trellissing in the garden (about 70cm height with small squares) and just fenced off anything dangerous (ie the TV and video cabinet, the wine rack etc). The house looked completely ridiculous for a few months but it worked. It's kind of the playpen strategy in reverse. I couldn't stand locking him away so we locked up everything else instead.

And by the time he figured out how to get over it, he was speaking enough to be told not to touch. Also, forget those baby locks for the fridge etc (the ones that fasten like seatbelts) - he figured out how to open them very quickly. Buy a roll of heavy duty duct tape and stick everything shut. Very easy for adults to peel off but little fingers can't grip it.

We just went on holiday and stayed in a number of hotels and the duct tape was the first thing we packed - it was invaluable for powerpoints, light switches, sliding wardrobe doors, the bar fridge and even taps in the bathroom.

[draught]

I love the duct tape idea and will be using it.
As for the bad back Michelle - I also have one, and a 9kg baby, which is why I love my pouch so much - the weight goes into my hips, and there is no strain on my back. I have just worn her at the park for an hour and am fine. In the past I would have been ringing my massage therapist and reaching for the panadol.

[Chickadee]

thanks for you tips...

we have had a slow process with child-proofing... mainly because my partner dumps stuff where Ethan can get to it... I am constantly moving money, pens, work tools, etc...


Michelle

I like the idea of fencing off the dangerous stuff instead of trying to restrain bub. I've seen that tip before, about ironing inside the playpen instead of putting bub in the playpen! We put baby gates up to isolate the front hall where we stored our bikes.

As I said, my hub was bad at leaving stuff everywhere too. Do they not think? My first job in the morning seemed to be to go around after him and remove the bits he'd left from out of dd's reach. It might help to isolate one room as being completely child proof and most safe, and have a "no stuff" policy for your partner for that room. He has to empty his pockets and hands before he goes in! Note I said "most" safe, not completely safe. We essentially did this with our lounge/dining room so that I could at least pop to the bathroom and feel reasonably comfortable that Chloe wouldn't get in trouble while I was gone. But she wasn't as big a climber as your son seems to be and it only works if you're confident bub will stay in that room in your absence. Baby gates are great.

Shelves, cabinets etc should be fastened to the wall so that at least if your son climbs them and falls, the cabinet won't come down on top of him. My hub used metal strapping and screws (Yeah I could have done it but thats what he's for!). Most tv's also come now with a strap to fasten the back down to whatever they're resting on so that they can't be toppled forward and onto curious bubs.

[mumofethan]

see this is where i hate my new house and its open plan...

in my old house we could just shut the kitchen door and it then is off limits... however we have now moved and this house is very open planned... there is no way i could afford enough child-fencing to reach across from one side to the other to block off the kitchen...

however i am looking in to the wiring things away idea... that seems cool...

i also have the problem of being in rental accomidation so i cant secure things to the walls... thankfully i have very very sturdy units (i cant even pull them over) so its just a matter of keeping fingers away from buttons (he has discovered how to retune the tv!)

i cant get one of the slings that sit on your hips because I have CHD, i have been told by my chiro that it will most likely mean further pain for me...

oh well... i guess i need to investigate the hardware...

:D

Michelle

[Chickadee]

We were actually in rental houses too, still are. And just put the screw holes in anyways, at least in the areas we couldn't close off from bub. You could either ask your landlord/agent for permission and explain why you want to, or just do it anyways. If the wall is plastered then it's easy to fill the holes back in again when you move out and the small sample pots of paint from hardware stores mask the patch. It's a bit harder with exposed brick walls or other finishes.

The open plan at least lets you keep an eye on your son a lot easier.

have you tried making a safe place for your son to practice his climbing? At one point we had guests sleep on an old futon on our lounge floor so I left it there for a while and would pile cushions and pillows up for Chloe to scramble over and roll off with a safe landing. It wouldn't keep your son off other climbing attactions but gives him an alternate challenge.

[veronica]

Theres some great tips here, thanks! I've got a 9 mth old who just started crawling and is now trying to stand and climb too. We live in rental too so I've been looking for some good ideas. Mind you your right Martha - nothing beats being the hawk! I've also taken to leaving the portacot set up. When I need to go to the clothes line, etc I just pop her in with some toys. I've also thought I might keep an eye out for a second hand play pen for me to iron in. My sister had a great idea - don't iron! - but unfortunately it wouldn't work for me, I just get stressed about creased clothes LOL

[mumofethan]

Hi Veronica,

i found hanging washing out to be a difficult task aswell without locking him in his room...

my saviour is a lift and lock swing... just hang in from the line and baby has fun while u get the washing done...

otherwise we have a big ball pit that he hasnt been able to climb out of yet, althou that does need some supervison...

:D

Michelle

[razzle]

I found that rubber bands (coloured hair elastics with bobbles on them make it look a bit nicer :p) around the door handles work well for cupboards and drawers, and yes, we tape the cupboard doors and drawers closed too!

The best idea so far that we've had is one for the sliding doors in my daughter's room. She's just recently discovered that SHE can open them, I went in to find out why she had been so quiet for 10 minutes and found her grinning from ear to ear with ALL her dresses and hangers on the floor around her. So, I got some self adhesive hooks, attached one to the door and the other to the surround and looped a rubber band around the hooks. You have to have the hooks on their sides facing opposite ways IYKWIM. It's working a treat - she can't open them at all now!

With ironing, now I do it while she's asleep or on one side of the baby gate and I'm on the other and she stands there and watches me. Before I came up with that brilliant idea :rolleyes: and she was just crawling rather than walking, I used to tape the cord of the iron up high, the powerpoint was up high too so all she could reach were my knees.

[draught]

Sorry that the pouch idea won't work for you Michelle. But there are some good ideas on here. The other tip for hanging washing out is to give them the bucket of pegs - for some reason both my girls have absolutely loved pegs - we find them all over the house - and it usually keeps them happy for long enough to get one load in or out I find. I have also been known to shut them in their room - on the floor with plenty of toys and nothing that can hurt them - when I need to get groceries in from downstairs and therefore need to leave the gate open. It is basically like a big playpen then!

[mumofethan]

thanks for your tips anyway draught...

unfortuntely my backyard has nothing but 3-corner jacks and ants so going on the ground doesnt happen... thats why i love my swing...

but it is true all kids love pegs... my son also loves empty plastic bottles and the spindles that u buy dvd on.

:D

Michelle

[Chickadee]

The best idea so far that we've had is one for the sliding doors in my daughter's room.


Oh THANK YOU Boomtish!! We have glass and screen sliding doors everywhere and Chloe refuses to leave them alone, she loves the game of opening and closing them. Not bad if it's a cupboard but when it's a door between rooms or outside and I don't notice she's closed it since I last went through... Ouch! I either needed to figure something out to stop her playing with them or paint big red warnings at eye level! I'll be using your hook idea! :D

[razzle]

when it's a door between rooms or outside and I don't notice she's closed it since I last went through... Ouch! I either needed to figure something out to stop her playing with them or paint big red warnings at eye level! I'll be using your hook idea! :D

Could you put some colourful stickers at her eye level so she doesn't prang into the glass? And with the screen door, when my sister's kids were little, she threaded the wire with some bright wool so the kids could see if it was open or shut. Kinda like embroidery! If you're a bit crafty, you could do it in groovy star shapes or a swirly pattern or something... I don't think it would work for my girl through, she loves to fiddle with things like that! :p

Good luck!

[Chickadee]

Could you put some colourful stickers at her eye level so she doesn't prang into the glass? And with the screen door, when my sister's kids were little, she threaded the wire with some bright wool so the kids could see if it was open or shut. Kinda like embroidery! If you're a bit crafty, you could do it in groovy star shapes or a swirly pattern or something... I don't think it would work for my girl through, she loves to fiddle with things like that! :p

Good luck!

She doesn't hit the glass or screens, only me and her Dad! And occassionally one of the dogs, which I have to admit is a little funny. I have some flagging tape here at work, 2 cm wide and flourescent orange, which I keep meaning to bring home for the screens. I'll go put it in my bag now! :o

[Ana Gram]

We have found that the playpen was fine for a while but now that our daughter is running around and into everything she can get her hands on (17 months old), we have now used the playpen to keep her away from the tv etc. We have also moved our couches around and blocked off the back of them with things she can't move. We have one child gate to keep her out of the laundry area and kitchen. She now only has access to her bedroom, the hallway and the lounge room. Every other door is always closed or blocked off with an obstacle. It can be a pain for us to get around but at least she is safe. And I have discovered that once an explorer from a young age, they just get more curious!

[julesandbabyboy#1]

i found 7-9 mos he was totally in the wars...i mean bumps and bruises daily. hes gotten better at this cruising, climbing, pulling up and falling down business. he really is improving and only getting into occassional scrapes. and i thought i had baby proofed ! :(